


Mirror Image

by DobbyRocksSocks



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas present, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, James is sweet, Lily and James are getting there okay, Peter is a chess master, S'mores, Set in Marauders 6th year, The marauders are sweet as a whole thing, Who knew?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29164596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DobbyRocksSocks/pseuds/DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Lily didn't particularly want to be apart from her family at Christmas, but she didn't want to spend the whole holiday fighting with Petunia. The Marauders are determined she'll have a good Christmas anyway.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marauders & Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7
Collections: A Marauder Holiday Exchange





	Mirror Image

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RayQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayQueen/gifts).



She stared at the parchment pinned to the notice board from her seat by the fire. She’d never stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas before, and even earlier in the day, when Professor McGonagall had offered the parchment round, she hadn’t given it more than a cursory thought before she’d dismissed the idea. 

But Lily was thinking about it. 

Her and Petunia were on terrible terms after the summer holidays, and she wouldn’t even be able to escape the house to spend time with Severus. After what he’d called her last year… 

Lily sighed, resting her chin on her knee. 

“What’s up, Buttercup?” Sirius asked, falling into the seat beside her. 

She huffed at him, rolling her eyes at the pet name. She supposed it was better than ‘Evans’ but was he really going to go their whole time at Hogwarts without using her name even once? 

“Debating on what to do about Christmas,” she said, nodding her head towards the noticeboard. “I think I might stay this year.” 

Sirius’ eyebrows rose slightly. “On your own?” 

“I’m sure there will be other people here, Sirius. It’s not like I’ll be roaming the castle with the ghosts, all on my lonesome.” 

He chuckled. “Maybe we could stay with you.” 

“You don’t have to do—” 

“Oi, Prongs!” Sirius shouted across the common room, interrupting Lily’s protest. When James looked up from whatever he’d been working on with Peter—and Lily had long since learned to just not want to know—Sirius waved him over. 

James joined them, perching on the arm of Sirius’ chair. “What’s up?” 

“Evans here is planning to spend the holidays here, alone. With the ghosts. And the teachers. Think we can do something about that?” 

James glanced her way and then shrugged, nodding his head. “Sure. I’ll write my mum in the morning and tell her we’re gonna stick here for the holidays.” 

“You don’t have to,” Lily protested weakly, though she couldn’t deny that she was touched by how much they seemed to care. 

James winked at her. “Don’t worry, Lils. It’ll be fun. Think how much mischief we can get up to when we have the run of the castle.” 

Lily groaned and rubbed her face with her hand. What had she done? 

Though, as she watched James, and then Sirius sign the parchment with their own particular flourishes, she couldn’t help but be glad for them. 

She signed her own name on the parchment before she retired for the evening, planning to send her own letter to her parents in the morning. Her mum and dad weren’t going to be happy about missing her, she knew, but really it was for the best. 

There was no need for everyone to be miserable just because Petunia still couldn’t accept Lily for what— _ for who _ —she was. 

… 

The holidays started without much fanfare, and while Lily knew Remus and Peter had both added their own names to the list, she didn’t see much of her housemates for the first few days. 

Not that she was particularly worried about it. Her homework had kept her busy, and she had to admit, having access to the library had made it much easier to complete.

Christmas Eve arrived before she even knew it, and it found her once more in front of the fire, a box of chocolates open on the small table by the armchair. If nothing else, she could still indulge in comfort food even if she wasn’t at home. 

She looked up from the book she was reading when the portrait swung inwards, smiling when she saw James, Sirius, Peter and Remus all pile through, their cheeks pink and their travelling cloaks dotted with the remnants of snow. 

“Hey, Lils,” James greeted, his wide smile softening to something just a little bit gentler. “Sorry we haven’t been around all day, we’ve been prepping for this evening.” 

Curious, she arched her eyebrow. “Prepping?” 

“S’mores,” Remus announced, holding up a bag, which, Lily surmised, must contain the ingredients for s'mores. 

“Games,” Peter added, raising the boxes in his arms slightly. 

“And of course, the house-elves will be delivering hot chocolate throughout the evening for m’lady,” Sirius said, bowing gallantly. 

Lily chuckled, but she smiled wide, touched that they’d made such an effort. 

“I… thank you.” 

“Of course,” James said, as the four of them set down their goodies and discarded their damp cloaks. “Now, I’ve been informed that pyjama’s are a must for Christmas Eve, so we’re going to go and change, and, well if you want to, you should too.” 

Lily nodded, glancing at Remus, who grinned at her. That they’d tried to bring a little bit of a Muggle Christmas to Hogwarts was adorable. 

Closing her book, she set it off on the table and stood up. She wouldn't need it for the rest of the evening. 

… 

Playing Monopoly with wizards was… an adventure. One that Lily didn’t think she’d be repeating too soon, but also one that made her ribs hurt from laughing. 

Sirius was deeply offended that the little figures didn’t move when he told them too, and Peter was baffled by the fake paper money. 

James didn’t seem to realise that he wanted to  _ avoid  _ jail and cheered everytime he got put there. 

The S’mores were delicious though, as was the hot chocolate, and when they moved onto a chess tournament, Lily was happy to sit and watch as Remus and Peter quickly found themselves in a brutal battle to the win. 

She hadn’t realised Peter was so skilled at chess, and when she said as much, he’d blushed adorably and stuttered a thank you. 

“So, good Christmas Eve?” James asked, nudging her shoulder slightly. 

She nodded, leaning into him slightly, as she shifted in her seat, pulling her legs up as she wrapped both of her hands around the still warm mug. 

“It’s been great. You didn’t have to do any of this, but thank you. It’s really been wonderful.” 

James smiled at her. “I’m glad. You deserve all of the nice things, Lils.” 

… 

Christmas Dinner at Hogwarts was like nothing Lily had ever experienced. She’d expected a feast—the elves excelled themselves at Halloween after all—but to see so much food, so much  _ variety  _ in food, had still been awe inspiring. 

And a little sad. 

While Lily stuffed herself on excellent mash potato and turkey, she couldn’t help but miss the lumps in the mash that her father always failed getting out. 

Still, the boys still seemed to be on their mission to make sure she had a good Christmas, and they’d kept her entertained, and almost completely distracted, the whole day through. 

She’d laughed at their antics, and even Professor McGonagall had been amused by Sirius’ jokes in the Great Hall as they ate. 

It wasn’t home, but it was better than she’d expected. 

“I have something for you,” James said, later that evening when they were all back in the common room, spread out in front of the fire. 

Remus was reading a book he’d received that morning, and Sirius was breaking in new chess pieces by being viciously destroyed by Peter. 

“You shouldn’t have,” Lily said, accepting the gift. “The last few days have been more than enough of a gift, James.” 

“Just… open it,” he said, biting his lip nervously. 

She did so, tilting her head curiously as a small, ornate mirror fell out of the packaging into her hand. It was beautiful, and clearly antique, and she looked up at him questioningly. 

James took it from her, and said, “Mrs Evans.” 

Lily blinked when, after a moment, her mother’s face appeared in the mirror. 

“I sent her the companion,” James explained. “You can talk to her for as long as you want, and your dad too, and whoever else is there now that it’s active.” 

Lily blinked at him and then looked down at the mirror where her mother was grinning back at her, waving. 

“I, you, it’s,” Lily cut herself off and took a breath. “Thank you, James.” 

… 

“How did you know?” Lily asked, an hour later when she’d finished speaking to her parents and rejoined James by the fire. 

“You love your parents,” James said simply. “I’ve heard the way you talk about them, it was obvious that you’d miss them, especially when you could have been home.” 

Lily reached out and squeezed his hand, then pressed forward to kiss his cheek. “It was the best present I’ve ever had. Thank you.” 

“Anytime, Lils.” 


End file.
